Member-only story
Don’t Rely Solely on Motivation
Aka: How to stay motivated to finish what you started
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.” — Zig Ziglar
What motivated you when you started whatever you started? That’s the same thing that should keep you motivated till you finish. With some reservations…
I remember when I started to lose weight in 2012. My motivation to start was my back pain. My quality of life suffered almost on a daily basis because of that. It was a constant, downright bodily, reminder for my motivation.
Eventually, when I lost some weight, the back pains subsided, then disappeared. But it wasn’t overnight or over-month.
It lasted long enough, so I built relevant weight-loss habits. Once I built them, I didn’t need the reminder in the form of back pain to dedicate my efforts to my daily activities.
This effort became almost mindless. I didn’t have to think on what I was doing; those actions were already a part of my daily routine.
